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Friday, September 30, 2011

Pietermaritzburg taxi driver charged with murder

Lusanda Bill30 September 2011

The driver of a taxi that was involved in a deadly crash near Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal earlier today has been charged with murder and attempted murder.

At least 14 people died when the taxi driver reportedly tried to overtake a long stream of traffic before hitting a truck.

Three other people were also seriously injured in the crash.

The driver, who is not yet allowed to be identified, survived the crash and will appear in court on Monday.

New watch dog legislation to be introduced

The SA Institute for Security Studies Johan Burger says the apparent ineffectiveness of the Independent Complaints Directorate will be adequately addressed by new legislation.

It was revealed yesterday that more than 96-percent of the ICD’s disciplinary recommendations to the police have been ignored.

Burger says the new Independent Police Investigative Directorate should have sharper teeth.

The Deputy Police Minister, Maggie Sotyu, says the protection of civilians and the oversight on police actions will be significantly strengthened by the formation of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

Accident leaves thirteen dead in Pietermaritzburg

Thirteen people have been killed and seven were injured in a minibus taxi and a heavy goods truck collided on the New Greytown Road outside Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal this morning.

ER24 spokesperson Chris Botha says the cause of the accident and the series of events leading up to it remain unclear and will form the subject of a South African Police Force investigation.

“Information indicates that the minibus and the heavy goods truck collided head-on before both left the road and came to rest at the foot of an embankment.

“Thirteen occupants of the minibus were killed and the he injured were treated and stabilised at the scene and transported by ambulance to various state hospitals for the urgent care that they required,” said Botha.

Suspect appears in court for rape in Khayelitsha

A 25 year old suspect, who was arrested in Khayelitsha on a charge of abduction, is now also facing several charges of rapes, which we believe he has perpetrated since April 2010 in the area.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut says the suspects made a court appearance in Khayelitsha this morning and remains in custody until November.

“On the 19th of September a young girl was seen in the company of a man, walking towards a bush in the area after that he was approached by community members, and he attempted to drag the young victim with him but fled the scene alone.

“Investigations led to his arrest the following day, and after his court appearance on the abduction case he remained in custody for further investigations,” said Traut.

Traut adds that further investigations into several rapes of young girls aged between two and nine years, as far back as early 2010, resulted in this man being regarded as a suspect.

ANC MP rebuked for road rage attack on woman

By Khanyisa Tabata29 September 2011

ANC Chief Whip Mathole Motshekga has expressed grave concern over a road rage incident in Port Elizabeth in which ANC Member of Parliament Litho Suka physically assaulted a woman in front of her two-year-old daughter.

Thirty-five-year-old Nolusindiso Mazantsi had apparently reversed into Suka’s car in KwaZakhele, leading to the attack.

Suka has since written to Motshekga, expressing deep regret for his conduct.

The Chief Whip says gender based violence is unacceptable, more so when committed by a public representative, and he will meet with Suka on the matter.

Two men hailed as heroes after saving man from shark attack

Two men are being hailed as heroes following yesterday’s shark attack off Clovelly in Fish Hoek in False Bay.

Sixty-one-year-old Douglas Drysdale and 66-year-old Hugh Till were driving along the coastal road when they spotted 43-year-old Michael Cohen swimming right toward the approaching shark.

They raced to the beach but were too late as Cohen was already struggling in the water in a pool of blood. Despite the danger, Drysdale and Till managed to pull the badly mauled victim to safety through the surf.

The shark followed the men, but appeared to be confused by a seal that kept swimming between them and the shark. Cohen underwent urgent surgery after losing a lower leg in the attack.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

UK signs Shrien Dewani’s extradition order

Lusanda Bill28 September 2011

The National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga has today confirmed that the UK secretary of state Theresa May, has signed an extradition order for Shrien Dewani to be tried in South Africa.

Shrien Dewani allegedly orchestrated the murder of his wife Anni in Cape Town.

The British Home Office will send a copy of the extradition order to the High Commission for transmission to South Africa.

NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga says Dewani now has 14 days within which to lodge a notice of appeal.

Electricity returns to parts of Cape Town

By Khanyisa Tabata28 September 2011

Parts of Cape Town were left without power this morning due to a faulty Eskom power line leading into the city.

Eskom’s spokesperson Hilary Joffee says only parts of the Cape metropole had been affected and not the entire Western Cape.“Technicians had been doing maintenance on the Muldersvlei/Acasia line when the disruption occurred.

“Electricity has now been restored to parts of Cape Town,” said Joffee.

Outrage over ANC’s Info Bill committees

Opposition parties have slammed the ANC’s decision to form committees to take further submissions on the Protection of State Information Bill.

The DA calls it an unprecedented abuse of Parliamentary procedure and resources.

It says consultative caravans through the country are the time-honoured ANC method of manipulating public opinion and then presenting the pre-determined result as the voice of the people.

The ACDP has also slated the move as unprecedented and unacceptable.

Spokesperson Steve Swarts says the bill is before Parliament which consists of many political parties besides the ANC. Swarts says the absence of opposition parties brings the legitimacy of this whole process into question.

Institute for Security Studies warns against Weapons Bill over emphasis

Lusanda Bill28 September 2011

The Institute for Security Studies says not too much emphasis should be placed on the draft Dangerous Weapons Bill.

He added that even though it is very much a work in progress.

Security analyst Johan Burger has alleviated concerns that the proposed bill will make it illegal for South Africans to carry anything that resembles a weapon including knives, pepper spray or even toy guns.

Burger says the bill will be open for discussion before officially being implemented.

Durban climate change summit’s important mission

Lusanda Bill27 September 2011

The head of the Agricultural and Natural Resources Analysis Policy Network Lindiwe Sibanda says the UN Climate Change summit, dubbed COP 17, later this year should demonstrate to the world how climate change is adversely affecting Africa’s population and posing a major threat to future generations.

She was addressing the National Press Club in Pretoria where she urged civil society to get actively involved in relevant matters in the run-up to the conference.

Sibanda added that it will be difficult for African countries to advance a unified front with regards to tackling climate change if proper discussions are not held before the United Nations COP17 summit in Durban, later this year.

She says experience from previous summits has shown that African countries stand divided on several issues.

ANC supports new housing initiative

By Khanyisa Tabata27 September 2011

The ANC has given its full support to the Each-One-Settle-One campaign by the Ministry and Department of Human Settlements.

Spokesperson Jackson Mthembu says the campaign is aimed at encouraging South Africans, irrespective of class and social standing, to help the Department deal with the huge housing backlog and its adverse socio-economic impact.

Mthembu says to achieve social cohesion, people of different races and classes need to stay together in settlements that are closer to their places of work, closer to the places where they pray, play, and learn.

He added that sustainable human settlements were at the core of building a truly non-racial, democratic, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa.

Eight arrested after protest in Cape Town

Western Cape police say eight people were arrested after five structures were erected on an open field in Kraaifontein in Cape Town yesterday.

Police spokesperson Andrè Traut says around a thousand residents gathered on the field and became aggressive when authorities removed the structures.

People threw stones and burnt tyres in protest. Traut says police used rubber bullets, gas cartridges and water cannon to disperse the crowd. Seven men and a woman were arrested for public violence and unlawful occupation of land.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Attempt to bribe Hawks boss backfires

Lusanda Bill25 September 2011

A Durban businessman is expected to appear in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court tomorrow for allegedly trying to bribe the head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal.

Hawks spokesperson McIntosh Polela has confirmed that the suspect, named by some sources as Thoshan Panday, is alleged to have tried to pay Johan Booysen two-million-Rands to obtain a sensitive document linked to a corruption investigation.

The police’s Colonel Navin Madhoe was arrested last week in connection with a suitcase containing over one-point-three-million-Rands which was dropped off into Booysen's car.

Home Affairs helps matrics with ID problems

Lusanda Bill25 September 2011

Home Affairs has made a special 24-hour call centre available for matriculants who encounter problems with applications for identity documents.Director general Mkuseli Apleni says they want to prevent problems ahead of the matric exams.

The move was prompted by complaints from the public.Earlier this year, the government targeted over four-and-a-half-thousand schools across the country in its drive to ensure pupils 16 years and older had IDs.

No tax for health system - at this stage

By Khanyisa Tabata223 September 2011

The National Treasury is not planning to introduce a tax to fund the government's National Health Insurance system in the short term.

The Hospital Association of South Africa says deputy director-general of public finance Andrew Donaldson has indicated that considering South Africa's constrained fiscus, it would be difficult to raise additional taxes at this stage.

Donaldson says discussion papers will be released early next year before financing arrangements for healthcare will be changed.

Missing Child Alert: Safia Blankenberg

Fewer South Africans playing lotto

By Khanyisa Tabata23 September 2011

A new National Lotteries Board survey shows that fewer South Africans are playing lottery games.

A national poll of two-and-a-half-thousand respondents found that there had been a substantial decline between 2003 and 2010, from 70-percent of the adult population, down to 40-percent.In the survey, two-thirds of lottery players said they should have a say in who gets funding from lottery money, while close to 90-percent wanted charities to be beneficiaries.

Concern over spike in teenage suicide

Cabinet has expressed concern about the increase in suicide among young people.

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini says an interdepartmental committee will be formed to tackle the problem.

The Eastern Cape education department revealed recently that on average, 16 school children committed suicide in the province every month in the first half of this year. No less than 109 pupils took their own lives last year.

SA recognises Libya’s new government

South Africa has followed the African Union’s example and has acknowledged that power has indeed changed hands in Libya.

Like the United Nations, South Africa now also recognises Libya's National Transitional Council as the government of Libya.

The AU and South Africa’s refusal to earlier recognise the NTC sparked speculation that African governments had been hamstrung by a sense of loyalty to Muammar Gaddafi in their response to the war in Libya.

Meanwhile, Gaddafi’s spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim has told journalists that 17 foreigners, who he referred to as “mercenaries”’, had been captured and were being questioned in Bani Walid.

Ibrahim says the men, including French and British nationals, will be shown publicly soon.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Monday that France had no mercenaries in Libya.

Anni Dewani murder accused declared fit to stand trial

Xolile Mngeni has been declared fit to stand trial for the murder of British honeymooner Anni Dewani in Cape Town last year.

Mngeni recently underwent surgery for a malignant brain tumour and has also been receiving extensive chemotherapy for the past month.

The case against Mngeni and his three co-accused, including Dewani’s husband, Shrien, has been transferred to the Western Cape High Court. A pre-trial conference is expected to be held in February next year.

Missing Adult Alert: Margaret Anne Statton

Missing Adult Alert: Nopasika Ntubane

Possibility that Anni Dewani’s murder accused may not be fit to stand trial

Lusanda Bill20 September 2011

One of the men accused of murdering British honeymooner Anni Dewani in Cape Town last year is due to appear in court today.

Xolile Mngeni is alleged to have fired the shot that killed Dewani.

He however recently underwent surgery for a brain tumour and may be declared unfit to stand trial.Dewani’s husband, Shrien, stands accused of orchestrating the murder and is currently facing deportation from England.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Fiancé of woman who was dragged under minibus taxi has been arrested

By Khanyisa Tabata19 September 2011

The fiancé of the woman who was last week dragged underneath a minibus taxi in Johannesburg has been arrested for assault.

Lourens Grobler has been accused of hitting and choking taxi driver, Matome Thamage, following a motor accident.Thamage himself faces charges of attempted murder after he allegedly sped off, dragging Kim McCusker for 700-metres underneath his taxi.

Ngcobo’s link to arms deal probe dismissed

By Lelethu Mquqo19 September 2011

The Justice Department says reports that President Jacob Zuma favours former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo to head the commission of inquiry into the controversial arms deal are merely media speculation.

ANC calls on Zille to resign

By Lelethu Mquqo19 September 2011

The ANC in the Western Cape has called on Premier Helen Zille to resign following her promise last month that she would leave office if any wrongdoing was discovered in a communications tender questioned by the opposition.

ANC provincial leader Lynne Brown says the latest revelation in the deal is that Zille’s political advisor Ryan Coetzee was involved from the start.

Brown says the time has come for Zille to step down.

The Democratic Alliance has, meanwhile, decided to write to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to request that she re-open the investigation into the Oilgate scandal.

This follows revelations in the weekend press that the late Sandile Majali had written a letter to the ANC just weeks before he died setting out the extent to which he had funded the ruling party.

Zille says Madonsela should also investigate why President Jacob Zuma took no action on the allegations, despite the letter being sent to his office, and despite the curious circumstances of Majali’s subsequent death.

Vavi warns against waning ANC support

By Khanyisa Tabata18 September 2011

Congress of South African Trade Unions secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi says the ANC will only have itself to blame should people turn their back on it in the next three years when the country celebrates 20-years into democracy.

Vavi addressed a meeting in Klerksdorp in North West.

He warns that people are increasingly becoming disillusioned because of the ruling party’s inability to transform the economy for the benefit of the poor and marginalised.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Kasrils slams secrecy bill

Former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils says government is pushing through the Protection of Information Bill to spare itself embarrassment.

Kasrils addressed about two-thousand protestors who marched to Parliament today in protest against the provisions in the proposed so-called Secrecy Bill.

Kasrils, an ANC and SACP member, says government does not want the public to know who some amongst them were abusing tenders, contracts and taxpayers' money. The bill is set to go before the National Assembly next week.

Protest marches in Cape Town and Johannesburg

Free speech and democracy advocates are marching in Cape Town to demand more changes to the proposed Protection of State Information Bill.

It is due for the vote in the National Assembly soon.

The editor’s forum, Sanef’s main concerns with the so-called Secrecy Bill are its lack of any public interest defence, heavy sentencing regime, broadness of application, and the shielding from scrutiny of the intelligence services.

Meanwhile, members of the National Union of Mineworkers will today march in Johannesburg to demand that Eskom stops its implementation of a seven-percent increase.

NUM has also rejected the company’s conversion of its pension fund to a provident fund.

They are demanding a minimum service level agreement and the improvement of the housing allowance. The march will start from the Mary Fitzgerald square.

Shocking corruption at the SABC

Lusanda Bill15 September 2011

The Special Investigating Unit probing corruption at the SABC has identified 20 staff members who had personal interests in companies that conducted one-point-two-billion-rands worth of business with the broadcaster.

A first round SIU report says fraud, corruption and waste at the corporation reaches all the way to the top.

The wrongdoing involves the obtainment of services, theft of assets, payments to untrue companies.

Missing Child Alert: Chad Forbes

Transport Department says crackdown on drunk drivers bearing fruit

By Khanyisa Tabata14 September 2011

One year since Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele’s announcement of the new National Rolling Enforcement Plan, more than 18-thousand drunk drivers have been arrested and 50-thousand un-roadworthy vehicles have been removed from the country’s roads.

In addition, during the past two weeks just under 72-thousand public transport vehicles were stopped and checked.

He says last month more than 4,000 arrests were effected and 3,429 vehicles discontinued from use.

Missing Adult Alert: Nolene Lizelle vd Westhuizen

Zuma explains Malema plans

By Khanyisa Tabata13 September 2011

President Jacob Zuma says the ANC has to mould Julius Malema into a dynamic leader. In an interview at his Pretoria residence, Zuma said the aim was not to remove the Youth League leader from the party.

But he has to allow the ANC to help him become a good leader. Zuma stressed that Malema would have to watch his conduct if he wanted a future in the ruling party.

The disciplinary hearing of the leadership of the Youth League resumes this morning.

Meanwhile, the ANC has announced that it will appeal the decision by Judge Collin Lamont to ban the singing of the Shoot the Boer song.

Proponents of free speech have also slammed the ruling in the Equality Court which declared the song hate speech.

People who sing the song will be in contempt of court. AfriForum, which brought the case, plans to oppose the appeal.